History of Lindenwood University in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 6, 2025

Lindenwood University, located in St. Charles, Missouri, is a private university established in 1832 by George Champlin Sibley and Mary Easton Sibley as The Lindenwood School for Girls. Notably, it stands as the second-oldest higher education institution west of the Mississippi River, marking its historical significance in American education.

1900: New Buildings Constructed

In 1900, Lindenwood University began an expansion phase, with the construction of new buildings that would continue into the early 20th century.

1913: Lindenwood Accredited as Junior College

In 1913, Lindenwood was officially accredited as a junior college by the North Central Association, marking a significant step in its academic development.

1918: $4 Million Bequest

In 1918, Lindenwood received a substantial $4 million bequest from the estate of Margaret Leggat Butler, enabling the establishment of a permanent endowment and transition to a four-year curriculum.

1919: Army ROTC Founded

Officially founded in 1919 and with roots tracing to the 1890s, the Gateway Battalion is one of the oldest Army ROTC programs in the nation.

1920: New Buildings Constructed

By 1920, Lindenwood University's expansion included the construction of four new buildings since the turn of the century.

1921: Roemer Hall Constructed

In 1921, Roemer Hall was constructed and became the main administration building on campus.

1921: Lindenwood Accredited

Since 1921, Lindenwood has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) or its predecessor.

1929: Butler Library Constructed

In 1929, the Margaret Leggat Butler Library was constructed.

1929: Margaret Leggat Butler Library Built

The Margaret Leggat Butler Library was built in 1929.

1948: Robert A. Taft Spoke

In 1948, Robert A. Taft spoke at Lindenwood about the Taft–Hartley Act and his candidacy for the 1948 GOP nomination.

1969: Lindenwood Becomes Co-Educational

In 1969, Lindenwood transitioned to a co-educational institution and was renamed Lindenwood Colleges, establishing separate colleges for men and women.

1970: John Danforth Visited

In 1970, John Danforth visited Lindenwood during his campaign for the US Senate seat representing Missouri.

1970: Evening Classes Started

In 1970, Lindenwood began offering evening classes, expanding educational opportunities for non-traditional students.

1973: Leonor K. Sullivan Visited

In 1973, Leonor K. Sullivan visited Lindenwood as the first woman in Congress from Missouri.

1976: Master's Degrees Offered

In 1976, Lindenwood began awarding master's degrees, signifying its growth as a higher education institution. Also in 1976, the St. Louis Football Cardinals constructed a practice field.

1976: Stadium Built by St. Louis Cardinals

In 1976, the St. Louis Cardinals NFL football team constructed Harlen C. Hunter Stadium as a training camp location.

1979: Stadium Opened

In 1979, the Harlen C. Hunter Stadium opened.

1980: NAIA Membership

In 1980, Lindenwood became a member of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).

1983: John Ashcroft Campaign Stop

In 1983, John Ashcroft made a campaign stop at Lindenwood before becoming Missouri's Governor in 1984.

1983: Colleges Merged

In 1983, Lindenwood Colleges, Lindenwood College for Men, and Lindenwood College for Women were merged into Lindenwood College.

1984: John Ashcroft Elected Governor

In 1984, John Ashcroft was elected governor of Missouri.

1985: Richard Gephardt Spoke

In 1985, Richard Gephardt spoke at Lindenwood as a U.S. Representative of Missouri.

1988: Stadium Renovated

In 1988, Harlen C. Hunter Stadium was renovated.

1988: Eagleton and Kissinger Spoke

In 1988, Thomas Eagleton and Henry Kissinger spoke at Lindenwood.

1989: Spellmann Hired as President

In 1989, with Lindenwood College facing bankruptcy and low enrollment, Dennis Spellmann was hired as the new president to implement significant changes.

1990: Barger arrives at Lindenwood

In 1990, Brett Barger first arrived at the St. Charles campus as a student.

1992: Greek System Returns

In 1992, the college announced that two sororities and three fraternities would be established on campus, marking the modern era of the Greek system at Lindenwood.

1993: Joined American Midwest Conference

From 1993–94 to 1995–96, Lindenwood was a member of the American Midwest Conference.

1993: Mary Ambler Archives Founded

In 1993, the Mary Ambler Archives were founded and are part of the Missouri Digital Heritage Initiative and the State Historical Society of Missouri.

1994: Barger Hired

In 1994, Brett Barger was hired at Lindenwood.

1995: Competed in American Midwest Conference

From 1993–94 to 1995–96, Lindenwood was a member of the American Midwest Conference.

1995: Jim Talent Visited

In 1995, Jim Talent visited LU as a U.S. congressman from Missouri.

1996: Joined HAAC

From 1996–97 to 2010–11, Lindenwood was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and competed within the Heart of America Conference (HAAC).

1997: Dora Boyd de Perez Balladares Visited

In 1997, Dora Boyd de Perez Balladares, First Lady of Panama visited the university.

1997: Name Change to Lindenwood University

In 1997, Lindenwood College officially changed its name to Lindenwood University, reflecting its expanded programs and institutional growth.

1997: Robert F. Hyland Performance Arena Built

In 1997, the 3,270-seat Robert F. Hyland Performance Arena was built.

2002: "Pork for Tuition" Program Started

In 2002, Lindenwood began the controversial "Pork for Tuition" program, allowing rural families to pay tuition with livestock.

2002: Spellmann Campus Center Built

In 2002, the Spellmann Campus Center was built at the heart of the Lindenwood campus.

2004: Stadium Renovated

In 2004, Harlen C. Hunter Stadium was renovated.

2005: Peggy Ellis at St. Louis University

Since 2005, Peggy Ellis served as the associate dean of graduate studies at the St. Louis University nursing school.

2006: Dennis Spellmann's Death

In 2006, Dennis Spellmann died; during his tenure, the university's endowment had grown to over $50 million.

February 9, 2007: James Evans Became President

On February 9, 2007, James Evans became Lindenwood's 21st president.

2007: Doctoral Programs Launched

In 2007, Lindenwood began offering doctoral programs, starting with a Doctorate of Education program.

2007: Barat Academy Facility Opened

In 2007, the Barat Academy facility opened.

2007: Lindenwood Sports Hall of Fame

Since 2007 Lindenwood Athletics has been honoring previous student-athletes or contributors of the athletic department with the Lindenwood Sports Hall of Fame.

2008: Plans to Expand Belleville Facilities

In 2008, Lindenwood University announced plans to expand facilities at Lindenwood University – Belleville and increased academic programs.

2008: Lindenwood Speaker Series Begins

In 2008, Lindenwood University began the Lindenwood Speaker series.

2008: Reynolds Hall and Pfremmer Hall Constructed

In 2008, Reynolds Hall and Pfremmer Hall were constructed between the new president's residence and LU Commons.

2008: J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts Opened

In 2008, the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts opened at a cost of $32 million on the southeast edge of campus.

May 2009: Construction for Evans Commons Began

In May 2009, construction began for the $20 million Evans Commons student center.

2009: Stadium Renovated

In 2009, Harlen C. Hunter Stadium was renovated.

2009: St. Louis City Location Opened

In 2009, Lindenwood opened a St. Louis City Location at 1409 Washington Avenue.

2009: Evans Commons Construction Started

In 2009, construction began on Evans Commons.

2009: Sibley Day Held

Since 2009, Sibley Day has been held as a new tradition at Lindenwood.

2009: LU-Belleville began offering courses

Starting in the fall of 2009, LU-Belleville began offering courses in business administration, communications, criminal justice, and health management.

July 12, 2010: Accepted into NCAA Division II

On July 12, 2010, Lindenwood was accepted into NCAA Division II.

September 24, 2010: Approved as Member of MIAA

On September 24, 2010, Lindenwood was approved as a member of the MIAA.

2010: Endowment Reached $148 Million

By 2010, Lindenwood University's endowment had reached $148 million.

2010: New President's House Opened

In 2010, the new president's house, known as Lindenwood House, opened on a hill overlooking the Sports Complex and much of the campus.

2010: Business School Accredited

Since 2010, LU's School of Business and Entrepreneurship has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

February 2011: Lindenwood Town Center Approved

In February 2011, the St. Charles City Council approved a resolution supporting the Lindenwood Town Center, a $30 million development.

August 2011: Evans Commons Opened

In August 2011, the 119,000-square-foot Evans Commons facility opened.

November 2011: Belleville Campus Transitions to Stand-Alone College

In November 2011, Lindenwood University-Belleville completed the transition from a satellite campus to a full-fledged, stand-alone college.

2011: Howard J. Wall Joins Lindenwood

In 2011, Howard J. Wall joined Lindenwood as director of the Institute for the Study of Economics and the Environment.

2011: Barat Academy Evicted

In 2011, the Barat Academy was evicted and relocated to a smaller property.

March 10, 2012: Ron Paul visits Lindenwood

On March 10, 2012, the university hosted 2012 GOP Presidential candidate, Ron Paul at the Hyland Arena.

2012: Affiliation with NCAA

In 2012–2013 academic year the affiliation with NCAA took place.

2012: Barat Academy Property Purchased

In the fall of 2012, Lindenwood University announced its purchase of the 28-acre property that was previously home to the Barat Academy.

2013: Competed in MIAA

From 2013–14 to 2018–19, Lindenwood competed in the D-II Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

2013: Affiliation with NCAA

In 2012–2013 academic year the affiliation with NCAA took place.

2013: Hammond Institute Founded

In 2013, the John W. Hammond Institute for Free Enterprise was founded at Lindenwood.

2013: Nursing and Allied Health Sciences Program Opens

In the fall of 2013, Lindenwood's Nursing and Allied Health Sciences program opened in the former Barat Academy facility.

May 2014: Plans Approved for New Library

In May 2014, the Lindenwood University Board of Directors approved plans for a new 100,000-square-foot Library and Academic Resources Center.

August 1, 2015: Brett Barger becomes interim president

On August 1, 2015, Brett Barger was appointed interim president of the Belleville campus.

October 2015: Barger Appointed President

In October 2015, Brett Barger's interim title was removed and he was appointed president of the Lindenwood University Belleville campus.

2015: Construction of New Facility Announced

In 2015, Lindenwood announced the construction of a new Academic Resources Center to replace the Margaret Leggat Butler Library.

April 2016: Daniel Boone Historic Site Donated

In April 2016, Lindenwood University donated the Daniel Boone historic site to the people of St. Charles County.

August 2017: New Library Opens

August 2017 marked the official opening of Lindenwood's new library building, the Library and Academic Resources Center (LARC).

2018: Competed in MIAA

From 2013–14 to 2018–19, Lindenwood competed in the D-II Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

2018: Women's Bowling Team Wins Championship

In 2018, the Lindenwood women's bowling team won the national USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships.

September 2019: Best College Rankings Released

In September 2019, the 2020 U.S. News & World Report Best College rankings were released, ranking Lindenwood #293–381 among national universities.

2019: Competed in GLVC

From 2019-20 to 2021-22, The Lions previously competed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) of the NCAA Division II ranks

2019: LU-Belleville to cease undergraduate programs

In 2019, the Lindenwood University Board of Trustees announced that LU–Belleville would cease to offer traditional semester-based undergraduate programs after the 2019–20 academic year due to "ongoing financial and enrollment challenges".

2020: Lindenwood Ranked by U.S. News & World Report

In 2020, U.S. News & World Report ranked Lindenwood #293-381 among national universities.

2020: LU-Belleville Departed AMC

The Lindenwood University at Belleville sports teams competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and its American Midwest Conference (AMC) until 2020.

2021: Competed in GLVC

From 2019-20 to 2021-22, The Lions previously competed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) of the NCAA Division II ranks

2021: Lindenwood Enrollment

In 2021, Lindenwood University reported an enrollment of 6,992 students across its nine colleges and schools.

2022: Lindenwood Joins Ohio Valley Conference

In 2022, Lindenwood became a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) for most of its sports since the 2022–23 academic year.

2023: Dorsey College Acquired

In 2023, Lindenwood University acquired Dorsey College, a for-profit trade school with seven campuses in Michigan. The school also made large cutbacks removing nine staff positions and ten sports programs including men's tennis, lacrosse, and wrestling.